Republicans Continue To Live In the Past and Embrace Antiquated Positions

 While some republican lawmakers are all in on alcohol consumption, a beverage causing alchoholism in millions and one that becomes a poisonous liquid when consumed in excess, they are chagrined at the idea of recreational cannabis. Of course it's all about control over the lives of others, absent a single rational justifiable reason. They simply choose to continue to believe the lies Harry Anslinger and others concotted about cannabis being a gateway drug (it isn't) as well as wanting to continue to use inhumane marijuana laws to incarcerate people of color in large numbers. Eventually they will fall. Progress always moves forward, not backwards. Irrespective of the desires of the few.

On to the article.

POLITICO - Marijuana’s popularity boom in red states isn’t breaking through with conservatives on Capitol Hill, pinching an already narrow path to federal legalization.

A growing number of Republican senators represent states that have legalized recreational or medical cannabis — six approved or expanded marijuana in some form just since November. But without their support in Congress to make up for likely Democratic defectors, weed falls critically short of the 60 votes needed to advance legislation.

 Montana’s Steve Daines and South Dakota’s Mike Rounds, both Republicans, said they don’t support comprehensive federal cannabis reform, no matter what voters back home voted for.

“I oppose it,” said Daines, who is otherwise a lead sponsor of the SAFE Banking Act, which would make it easier for the cannabis industry to access financial services, such as bank accounts and small business loans. “The people in Montana decided they want to have it legal in our state, and that's why I support the SAFE Banking Act as well — it’s the right thing to do — but I don't support federal legalization.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is vowing to push a far-reaching federal legalization bill, even if President Joe Biden isn’t on board. But before he can corner the White House on the issue, Schumer must convince at least 10 Republicans — possibly more, since Democrats like Sens. Jon Tester and Jeanne Shaheen are unlikely to back the measure — to join his cause.

Lawmakers whose constituents have already approved some form of legal marijuana are seen as the most likely to support loosening federal restrictions, but so far Republican senators appear largely unmoved by the will of voters when it comes to weed. In some states, such as Montana and South Dakota, marijuana did better on the ballot than their senators.

POLITICO spoke with a dozen GOP senators who represent medical or recreational cannabis markets in recent days. None committed to vote to remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act, but Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Kevin Cramer of North Dakota said they were open to discussing ways to remove federal cannabis penalties. Others, however, said they were not on board with any type of federal cannabis legislation.

“I think they can do other narcotics and things to relieve people's pain and suffering,” said GOP Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama, where medical marijuana was legalized earlier this year. When asked if he believes his position is in conflict with the will of Alabamans, Shelby replied, “I don't know. You got to have some principle, yourself.”

Yup, to the republicans the importance of ones personal principles exceeds that of the will of the people they are elected to represent apparently.

Three out of the 18 states that have embraced full legalization — Alaska, Montana and Maine — are represented by at least one Republican senator. Three dozen states and counting have also legalized medical marijuana, including conservative strongholds such as Alabama and Oklahoma.

Voters in South Dakota approved a recreational legalization measure in November that is now tied up in court. If it stands, two more Senate Republicans — including Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) — would represent a state where anyone at least 21 years old can purchase weed.

“Medical’s getting big — the recreational not as big yet, but it's growing — and there'll be more initiatives on the ballot,” said Thune, discussing the uptick in ballot measures and legislation in red states around the country. “It's an area that's still evolving, and our country's views on it are evolving … How we deal with it nationally I think is still an open question.”

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